The San Diego Chargers released running back LaDainian Tomlinson Monday afternoon.

Tomlinson played nine seasons in San Diego, but at the age of 30 and with declining numbers, Tomlinson has been anticipating his release for the past month.

“It was a longtime coming, but I knew it was coming,” Tomlinson said, according to SI.com. “Now that it’s official I can kind of look to the next step in my career and playing football for someone else.”

Tomlinson ranks eighth on the all-time rushing list with 12,490 yards. His 138 career rushing touchdowns rank second, and his 153 total touchdowns rank third.

He was the NFL’s MVP in 2006, when he set NFL single-season records with 31 touchdowns and 186 points. Tomlinson won the NFL’s rushing title in 2006 and ’07.

A former first-round pick, Tomlinson rushed for only 730 yards in 14 games last season and had a 3.3-yard rushing average. He struggled on first down during the Chargers playoff loss to the New York Jets.

Still, the Tomlinson years were some of the best in Chargers history. Tomlinson established himself as a star during a rookie season in 2001 when he rushed for 1,236 yards and scored 10 touchdowns.

Tomlinson has been in a steady decline since 2007. The NFL salary cap makes it about impossible for a team to keep an aging veteran these days. I for one prefer the old days where someone like a Walter Payton could play his entire career for one team.(The Chicago Bears)

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